Hybrid Tea Rose plant named ‘Schirus’

ABSTRACT

A distinctive cultivar of Hybrid Tea Rose plant named ‘Schirus’, characterized by its dark green-colored leaves; vigorous growth habit; long and strong flowering stems; large white-colored flowers with numerous petals; high yield of cut flowering stems; and good postproduction longevity.

Botanical classification/cultivar designation: Rosa hybrida cultivar Schirus.

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION

The present invention relates to a new and distinct cultivar of Hybrid Tea Rose plant, botanically known as Rosa hybrida, and hereinafter referred to by the cultivar name Schirus.

The new cultivar is a product of a planned breeding program conducted by the Inventor in De Kwakel, The Netherlands. The objective of the breeding program was to develop new cut Rose cultivars with a high yield of cut flowering stems, attractive flower color, long and strong stems, dark green leaves and good postproduction longevity.

The new cultivar originated from a cross made by the Inventor in 1999 of two unnamed proprietary selections, not patented. The cultivar Schirus was discovered and selected by the Inventor as a flowering plant within the progeny of the stated cross in a controlled environment in De Kwakel, The Netherlands. The new cultivar differs primarily from plants of the parental unnamed proprietary selections in flower color.

Asexual reproduction of the new cultivar by cuttings taken at De Kwakel, The Netherlands, since 2000, has shown that the unique features of the new cultivar are stable and reproduced true to type in successive generations of asexual reproduction.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION

The following traits have been repeatedly observed and are determined to be the unique characteristics of ‘Schirus’. These characteristics in combination distinguish the new Hybrid Tea Rose as a new and distinct cultivar:

-   -   1. Dark green-colored leaves.     -   2. Vigorous growth habit.     -   3. Long and strong flowering stems.     -   4. Large white-colored flowers with numerous petals.     -   5. High yield of cut flowering stems.     -   6. Good postproduction longevity.

Plants of the new Hybrid Tea Rose can be compared to plants of the cultivar Schreblank, not patented. In side-by-side comparisons conducted in De Kwakel, The Netherlands, plants of the new Hybrid Tea Rose differed from plants of the cultivar Schreblank in the following characteristics:

-   -   1. Plants of the new Hybrid Tea Rose had longer flowering stems         than plants of the cultivar Schreblank.     -   2. Flowers of plants of the new Hybrid Tea Rose had more petals         than flowers of plants of the cultivar Schreblank.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF PHOTOGRAPHS

The accompanying colored photographs illustrate the new Hybrid Tea Rose plant showing the colors as true as it is reasonably possible to obtain in colored reproductions of this type. Colors in the photographs may differ slightly from the color values cited in the detailed botanical description which accurately describe the actual colors of the new Hybrid Tea Rose.

The photograph at the top of the sheet comprises a side perspective view of a typical flower of the new Hybrid Tea Rose.

The photograph at the bottom of the sheet comprises a top perspective view of the lower surface (left) and the upper surface (right) of typical leaves of the new Hybrid Tea Rose.

DETAILED BOTANICAL DESCRIPTION

Plants of the new Hybrid Tea Rose have not been observed under all possible environmental conditions. The phenotype may vary significantly with variations in environment such as temperature and light without, however, any variance in genotype.

The aforementioned photographs, following observations and measurements describe plants grown in De Kwakel, The Netherlands, in glass-covered greenhouses with an average day temperature of 19° C. and an average night temperature of 15° C. Plants used for the photographs and the description were about five months old. In the following description, color references are made to The Royal Horticultural Society Colour Chart, 1995 Edition, except where general terms of ordinary dictionary significance are used.

-   Classification:     -   -   Botanical.—Rosa hybrida cultivar Schirus.         -   Commercial.—Hybrid Tea Rose used as a cut flower. -   Parentage:     -   -   Female, or seed, parent.—Unnamed proprietary selection of             Rosa hybrida, not patented.         -   Male, or pollen, parent.—Unnamed proprietary selection of             Rosa hybrida, not patented. -   Propagation:     -   -   Type.—By vegetative cuttings.         -   Time to initiate roots.—About 12 days at 25° C.         -   Time to develop roots.—About 25 days at 25° C.         -   Root description.—Fine, fibrous and well-branched. -   Plant description:     -   -   Form.—Upright.         -   Plant height.—About 90 to 110 cm.         -   Plant width.—About 100 to 110 cm.         -   Growth habit.—Vigorous.         -   Yield of flowering stems.—In one year, about 160 flowering             stems per square meter can be harvested per plant.         -   Flowering stems.—Quantity per plant: About 10 to 12 per             plant. Aspect: Straight, upright. Strength: Strong. Length:             About 80 to 90 cm. Diameter: About 2 cm. Internode length:             About 6 to 9 cm. Texture: Glabrous. Color: 146B. Thorns:             Quantity: About three per 5 cm of stem length. Height: About             4 to 5 mm. Diameter, at base: About 5 to 7 mm. Shape:             Triangular. Color: Towards the apex, 177D; towards the base,             191B.         -   Foliage description.—Arrangement: Alternate; compound with             about 3 to 7 leaflets. Quantity per flowering stem: About 11             compound leaves. Leaf length: About 14 to 19 cm. Leaf width:             About 10 to 12 cm. Terminal leaflet length: About 6 to             10 cm. Terminal leaflet width: About 4 to 6 cm. Lateral             leaflet length: About 4 to 8 cm. Lateral leaflet width:             About 4 to 6 cm. Leaflet shape: Ovate. Leaflet apex:             Acuminate. Leaflet base: Obtuse. Leaflet margin: Serrulate.             Leaflet texture, upper and lower surfaces: Glabrous;             leathery; semi-glossy to matte. Leaflet venation pattern:             Pinnate. Leaf petiole length: About 4 to 5 cm. Leaf petiole             diameter: About 2 mm. Leaflet petiole length: About 5 to             10 mm. Leaflet petiole diameter: About 1 to 2 mm. Stipules:             Length: About 1.2 cm. Diameter: About 7 mm. Shape: Roughly             lanceolate. Apex: Cleft. Base: Cuneate. Texture, upper and             lower surfaces: Glabrous; leathery. Color: Developing             foliage, upper surface: 137A. Developing foliage, lower             surface: 147B to 147C. Fully expanded foliage, upper             surface: 139A. Fully expanded foliage, lower surface: 138B             underlain with 184B. Venation, upper surface: 183B.             Venation, lower surface: 182C. Leaf and leaflet petioles,             upper and lower surfaces: 146B. Stipule, upper surface:             174A. Stipule, lower surface: 146B. -   Flower description:     -   -   Flower type and habit.—Large white-colored flowers with             numerous petals; symmetrical rosette flowers. Freely and             recurrent flowering habit. Flowers arranged singly at             terminal apices. Petals persistent.         -   Flowering season/time to flower.—Year-round under greenhouse             conditions.         -   Flower diameter.—About 10 to 14 cm.         -   Flower depth (height).—About 5 to 6 cm.         -   Flower longevity on plant.—About three weeks.         -   Flower longevity as a cut flower.—About two weeks.         -   Fragrance.—Slight, typical rose fragrance.         -   Flower buds (at stage of showing color).—Shape: Ovoid.             Length: About 3 to 4 cm. Diameter: About 2 to 3 cm. Color:             145A.         -   Petals/petaloids.—Quantity: About 50 to 55 per flower             arranged in numerous whorls. Length, outer petals: About 3.3             to 7.5 cm. Width; outer petals: About 2.3 to 8.2 cm. Shape:             Obovate. Apex: Acuminate. Margin: Entire; petals reflex with             development. Texture: Smooth, satiny. Color: When opening,             upper and lower surfaces: 155A. Fully opened, upper and             lower surfaces: 155C; outermost or guard petals, 155C with             145A towards the apex.         -   Sepals.—Quantity per flower: Five. Length: About 4 to 5 cm.             Width: About 1 to 1.3 cm. Shape: Lanceolate; typically with             extensions or appendages. Apex: Apiculate. Base: Cuneate.             Margin: Entire. Texture, upper and lower surfaces:             Pubescent. Color, upper and lower surfaces: 146B.         -   Peduncles.—Strength: Strong. Aspect: Erect. Length: About 13             to 17 cm. Diameter: About 4 to 5 mm. Texture: Glabrous.             Color: 146B.         -   Reproductive organs.—Stamens: Quantity per flower: About 80.             Anther length: About 3 mm. Anther shape: Elliptic. Anther             color: 17C. Filament color: 10D. Pistils: Quantity per             flower: About 150. Pistil length: About 1.3 cm. Stigma             shape: Elliptic. Stigma color: 4D. Style length: About 1 cm.             Style color: 4D. Receptacle height: About 2 to 2.3 cm.             Receptacle diameter: About 1 to 1.2 cm. Receptacle color:             144A.         -   Seed/fruit.—Seed and fruit development has not been             observed. -   Disease/pest resistance: Plants of the new Hybrid Tea Rose have not     been observed to be resistant to pathogens and pests common to     roses. 

1. A new and distinct Hybrid Tea Rose plant named ‘Schirus’, as illustrated and described. 